Dirk Lesko (sixth from left), president of Irving Shipbuilding; Joo Won-ho (seventh from left), president of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and head of its naval and medium-sized ship business; and Irving Shipbuilding senior executives pose for a photo in front of a bust of HD Hyundai founder Chung Ju-yung during a visit to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan headquarters in early May. (HD Hyundai Heavy Industries) HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is stepping up efforts to win Canada’s next-generation submarine program, bolstering ties with major Canadian shipbuilders and expanding industrial cooperation ahead of a final bidder selection.The South Korean shipbuilder said Thursday its senior executives met with Canada’s Davie Shipbuilding in Ottawa on Tuesday to discuss ways to cooperate across shipbuilding and naval programs.During the meeting attended by Park Yong-yeol, head of HD HHI’s naval ship business unit, and James Davies, CEO of Davie Shipbuilding, HD Hyundai highlighted its shipbuilding technology and discussed ways to support the development of Canada’s shipbuilding industry.Davie Shipbuilding, based in Quebec, is Canada’s largest shipyard and builds a range of vessels, including icebreakers, offshore plants and naval support ships.The company also owns Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard, a connection HD Hyundai sees as an opportunity to broaden collaboration beyond Canada into Arctic-related markets. Park Yong-yeol (right), head of Naval Ship Division at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and James Davies, CEO of Davie Shipbuilding, pose for a photo during a visit to Davie’s Ottawa office on Tuesday. (HD Hyundai Heavy Industries) The meetings come amid HD HHI's efforts to help South Korea win Canada’s multibillion dollar submarine procurement program.A Korean consortium of Hanwha Ocean and HD HHI has made the final shortlist alongside Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project -- a planned purchase of up to 12 new diesel-powered submarines to replace the country’s aging fleet. A final decision is expected in June.Joo Won-ho, president and head of the naval & medium-size shipbuilding business unit at HD HHI, also attended a reception last week hosted by the South Korean ambassador to Canada, following the arrival of the ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine at a port in Canada for joint drills with the Royal Canadian Navy.“We are working closely with leading Canadian shipbuilders such as Davie Shipbuilding and Irving Shipbuilding to expand cooperation in both commercial shipbuilding and naval sectors,” Joo said.Earlier this month, Irving Shipbuilding President Dirk Lesko and other executives visited HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ shipyard in Ulsan, where they toured naval production facilities and discussed potential cooperation.Irving Shipbuilding, based in Nova Scotia, is one of Canada’s three major shipyards and a key builder for the Royal Canadian Navy.As part of its broader bid package, HD Hyundai Group earlier proposed a multibillion dollar industrial partnership plan for Canada that includes technology transfers in shipbuilding, consulting services for submarine maintenance and operations, and support for local naval capabilities. HD Hyundai Oilbank, the group’s refining arm, has also pledged to import Canadian crude oil worth trillions of won.